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- Written by: Lori Peters-Herren
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The 38th annual Natural Products Expo West & Engredea, the world's largest natural, organic and healthy products event, experienced another record-setting year, hosting more than 85,000 attendees including industry pioneers and a new generation of innovators shaping the future of healthy products.
The show, produced by New Hope Network, a part of Infoma, was held March 7 to 11 at the Anaheim Convention Center and brought together 3,521 exhibiting companies from around the world.
Among those exhibitors were three Lake County businesses: Aloha Bay, Apricot Power and NutriBiotic.
Aloha Bay offers unique, handmade and fair trade palm wax candles, Eco Palm Wax candles, Himalayan salt products, Feng Shui items, and other eco-friendly choices in green decor for homes and businesses.
This employee-owned company still hand pours candles at their Lower Lake location, which opened in 1993. You can find their products available at www.alohabay.com and in various natural food, grocery and gift stores in the United States. You can also visit the factory outlet store in Lower Lake at 16285 Main St.
Apricot Power has provided high quality bitter apricot seeds and B17-related products since 1999 in Lakeport. Two sons of the late Dr. John Richardson Sr. (Charles and John) started the company on S. Main St. with a simple mission to "get B17 back into every Body."
The company has grown the product line to include a full line of B17 rich foods, snacks, beverages, immune support products and skin care. They process bitter apricot seeds in Lakeport and ship around the world.
Visit their site www.apricotpower.com for more information and recipes or you can find their products at natural foods stores.
NutriBiotic was founded in 1980 on the principle “everyone deserves good health,” inspiring them to produce vitamin C products in various forms, plant protein, body care line and grapefruit seed extract (GSE) derived from the seed and pulp of grapefruit. You will find GSE in many of their formulas, including dietary supplements and body care line.
NutriBiotic has manufactured products in Lakeport for over 35 years. You can find NutriBiotic products online at www.nutribiotic.com and in natural food and grocery stores throughout the US and internationally.
Expo West was a great show this year bringing together the natural products community in Anaheim to gather round the big ideas that are feeding innovation in this industry.
It was especially exciting to see three very different local businesses that are a part of this change in our world moving back to real food, hand crafted, and a doing business in a small, sustainable footprint that is making a difference in how we view our food, our health and our world.
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- Written by: Sonoma County Farm Bureau
SANTA ROSA, Calif. – Tawny Tesconi has been hired as the executive director for Sonoma County Farm Bureau.
Tesconi has been serving as the interim executive director since December 2017 and began her position as the full time executive director on March 1.
"Over the last two and a half months, Tawny has shown strong leadership and community engagement," said Steve Dutton, president of Sonoma County Farm Bureau. "The board of directors is excited to bring Tawny on board full time and we are looking forward to getting back to Farm Bureau's core mission of advocacy and education."
Tesconi is a Sonoma County native with strong ties to the local agriculture industry. As a student, she was active in both 4-H and FFA, living on a small family farm in west county. Today, she lives on the same family farm with her husband.
Tesconi had a successful 30-year career in fair management and public service, and in December of 2015, she retired as director of general services of Sonoma County to start her fair services company Tesconi Event And Management Solutions.
Prior to working as the general services director, Tesconi was the Sonoma County Fair manager for eight years. Under her leadership, the Sonoma County Fair underwent an extensive branding process for the event facility, expanded racing and started a Foundation to build the $3 million Ag Education Center, Richard & Saralee's Barn.
During her career in the fair industry, Tesconi also served as the CEO of the Sonoma-Marin Fair, CEO of the Calaveras County Fair and Assistant Manager at the Solano County Fair.
In 2007, Tesconi received the Spirit of Sonoma Award, nominated by Sonoma County Farm Bureau for her commitment and passion for local agriculture.
Tesconi is a past president of the Western Fairs Association and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2012. She is also a past president and current treasurer of the Petaluma Rotary Club.
Tesconi holds a bachelor's degree in managerial economics from University of California, Davis. She was a graduate of the 1987 class of the WFA Management Training Program and has her Certified Fair Executive Standing from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions.
"I am excited about working with the dedicated board and staff at the Sonoma County Farm Bureau," said Tesconi. "There are so many ways this organization supports and celebrates local agriculture and I look forward to continuing and enhancing these efforts. It is an honor to be part of an industry that is so critical to all of Sonoma County residents."
Over the coming months, Tesconi will be working on building stronger alliances with Farm Bureau's ag partners to further Sonoma County Farm Bureau's mission of promoting and protecting agriculture in Sonoma County.
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- Written by: California Department of Food and Agriculture
The board is composed of 12 voting members, each representing an establishment with a valid California License to Sell Nursery Stock. No two members shall represent the same organization.
Members will represent a wide spectrum of the nursery industry, and the board will be geographically representative of the nursery industry in California.
The term of office for board members is four years. This position is a mid-term appointment and the term ends on Jan. 31, 2021.
Members typically meet twice per year but can meet more frequently if needed. The members receive no compensation but are entitled to payment of necessary traveling expenses in accordance with the rules of the California Department of Human Resources.
In addition, the board includes eight non-voting ex officio members from the County Agricultural Commissioner and Sealers Association, the University of California, and groups affiliated with the nursery industry.
The mission of the Nursery Advisory Board is to grow and maintain a strong relationship between CDFA and the nursery industry in order to secure the industry’s future.
The board facilitates communication between state and federal regulators and the nursery industry, and it advises CDFA’s Nursery Services Program on policies, fees, and other issues concerning nurseries and nursery stock.
Individuals interested in being considered for this board appointment should send a brief résumé to Erin Lovig, Board Manager, by April 30 at California Department of Food and Agriculture, Pest Exclusion Branch, 1220 N Street, Room 344, Sacramento, CA 95814.
For additional information, you may contact the Nursery Services Program at 916-654-0435.
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- Written by: Editor
The Lake County Chamber of Commerce has contracted with the county of Lake to oversee the Certified Tourism Ambassador program.
The chamber has scheduled several classes through June. Course material based upon Lake County is provided to every student for a four-hour class.
The classes are interactive and many who have lived in Lake County all their lives have said they learned facts about our area that they never knew previously.
Many of those who call Lake County home are aware that fellow residents make negative remarks about the area. When those negative comments are made to visitors or within earshot of visitors it could mean the visitors do not or will not return. The CTA program can help us turn that around.
The following is from the official Web site, www.ctanetwork.com : “CTA Program Objective: To increase regional tourism by inspiring front-line hospitality employees and volunteers to turn every visitor encounter into a positive experience."
Accredited through the Tourism Ambassador Institute and administered at the local level, the Certified Tourism Ambassador program is industry-recognized certification. It's the only program in existence today that gives an official CTA designation to individuals – from mayors, to general managers, drivers and waiters, people who care about their destination and want everyone who visits to talk positively about their experience.
With more than 17,000 current CTAs nationwide, the program has proven success in aligning the destination's people infrastructure – its stakeholder businesses and front-line – to build tourism by Enhancing the Visitor Experience.
Through its locally-customized curriculum, the CTA program focuses on the experience given to visitors, whether they are leisure travelers, business travelers, or attendees.
You’re never too old to learn and for employers investing in their businesses by sending their employees to the classes. When customers are greeted by knowledgeable employees who value our communities, you have created a welcoming atmosphere for that visitor.
To sign up for a class go to www.ctanetwork.com/schedule/; there you can locate upcoming Lake County CTA classes and sign up for one that fits your schedule.
The cost per student is $25, payable to the county of Lake.
For questions please contact the Lake County Chamber at 707-263-5092.